Kin's All That Matters
by Beth C
Summary: This is a teen-age Dukes fic. Bo has got himself into deep trouble when he finds out his girlfriend Haylie is pregnant. How will he handle this situation, seeing as he is only 16? What will his Uncle Jesse do when he finds out? WIP
1. Default Chapter

**_Kin's All That Matters_**

_By Beth C_

* * *

Summary: This is a teen-age Dukes fic. Bo has got himself into deep trouble when he finds out his girlfriend Haylie is pregnant. How will he handle this situation, seeing as he is only 16? What will his Uncle Jesse do when he finds out?

Rating: PG-13 for discussions about sex

Disclaimer: Not mine, duh. The Duke boys belong to WB. Haylie is mine, so don't borrow her without my permission!

* * *

Bo Duke slammed a fist into the cold steel of his high school locker. The thin metal dented slightly upon impact leaving a fist shaped mark on the door. Damaging the metal hadn't been his first choice, but neither was living with his frustration over his current predicament.

The other teens in the hallway neither seemed to care about the blond-headed boy's problems nor did they chance to interfere. They all had worries and problems of their own.

Bo looked at the dent and groaned. What he really wanted to do was stick his fist through the locker door, how could he have been so stupid? What had he been thinking? He mentally swore words that he knew his Uncle Jesse would never, ever allow him to say.

He was a Junior at Ulysses S. Grant High, he should be smarter than to make the mistake he had made. Boy was his Uncle going to tan his hide when he found out. He would rather have gotten failing grades than to break the next bit of news to the man that had raised him since he had been a toddler.

With a grimace, and a slight groan, he undid the lock on his locker door and opened it. He tossed his school books inside, then closed and locked it back up again. Good thing that he had been told after his last period class. If he had been told at the beginning of the day, he would not have been able to manage a single class.

He rested his head against the cool metal of the door. What was he going to do now? He knew what he was going to be expected to do, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to take that route either.

A quick glance down the corridor showed the last of the students leaving for the day. No one was around to talk to him, or to help him with his problems. It looked like he was on his own on this one. With a small sigh, he walked slowly out the door to the bike rack to fetch his bike. It was going to be a long ride home.

* * *

Luke stood at the entrance to the barn, looking out the door towards the road. He wiped the sweat off his brow with one hand. His dark hair hung in moist ringlets around his face. He wondered just where his cousin had gotten off to this time. Just out of high school himself by a year, he remembered what it was like to get lost on the way home.

He sure hoped Bo wasn't getting lost. There were chores that needed finishing. Luke was tired of covering up for the younger boy. At 16, Bo should now know the meaning of responsibility. Luke sighed. Bo was probably flirting with that Haylie chick again. He remembered that part too.

Luke knew Bo fancied the blond-haired beauty and that was one reason he allowed the chores to slip a bit so Bo could have some quiet time with his lady friend. Having come off a serious relationship himself, he knew how women could be. However, it wasn't in the cards yet for him as Laura had decided to go to a fancy college out of state. Knowing that long-distance relationships didn't work out well, they parted company as friends.

A sharp noise on the road caught his attention and he saw Bo slamming his bike down to the ground. The younger boy then kicked a tire before stomping on the ground. Luke frowned at the scene. That wasn't like Bo.

Luke put down the pitchfork and walked out the barn. "Bo!" he called out, and saw his cousin stiffen. "What's wrong?"

Bo removed his jacket as he approached the farmhouse. "Nothing," he called back over his shoulder as he opened the door and stormed inside.

Luke was glad his Uncle wasn't home yet from the trip into town to pick up some feed for the chickens. This kind of behavior was sure to earn Bo a trip behind the woodshed with a willow switch. He opened the door and followed the trail his cousin had gone.

Looking in the small house for Bo wasn't going to be a problem. There weren't many places to go. Bo was either going to be moping in the bedroom the boys shared, or he was going to be in the bathroom. It turned out to be the latter, as the bedroom was vacant except for Bo's discarded jacket.

Luke knocked on the bathroom door. "Bo? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Came the muffled response. "Leave me alone."

Luke sighed. Probably a tiff with Haylie. If Bo wanted to talk about it, he would when he was ready. "Ok, Cuz, but I'm gonna need a hand with the chores before Uncle Jesse gets home." He then walked away from the door and headed back out to the barn. Bo was going to have to learn that girls were just difficult sometimes.

Difficult and wonderful all at the same time. Which was why it was just smarter to stay away from them for the time being. Smarter and more productive, he reasoned as he picked up the pitchfork and began hoisting the hay again. Now if only Bo could see that, then the chores would be done a lot sooner.

* * *

The weekend passed pretty quickly but Bo continued to stay aloof and distant, doing his chores but not really talking to anyone. His cousin Daisy, who was a Senior in the same high school, had shrugged when approached by Luke. Even Uncle Jesse had raised an eyebrow but wisely stayed silent and let the teen work out his own problem. He would be there for Bo when the troubled teen decided it was time to open up.

Sunday night found Bo outside, staring at the stars as the lay in the open pasture. His hands were crossed behind his head and he appeared to be lost in the sight above him.

Luke walked over and sat down. "Is this seat taken?" He got a grunt for a reply so he decided that meant no, and lay down next to his cousin. "Bo, I know something's wrong."

"So what if it is?" Bo shot back. "There ain't nothing to do about it." He said icily as he continued to stare at the nighttime sky.

"Now how do you know that? I might be able to help if you just tell me." Luke rolled over and propped himself up on one arm to watch the boy he considered his brother. "I know it has to do with Haylie."

Bo's head twisted around to level cold blue eyes on his cousin. "Who told you that?"

"No one," he said softly. "But she hasn't called all weekend and she usually does at least twice a day." He shrugged as Bo turned his head back to the stars. "I know how women are." He tried to place one hand on Bo's shoulder but was surprised to find it brushed off.

"Don't touch me." Bo said in that same icy voice.

Luke blinked in surprise. This was the first time he had ever been rebuffed by the younger boy. "Bo, please tell me what's wrong. I only want to help."

"You can't help." Bo's tone had changed and now it sounded strained. "No one can help."

"Is it another guy?" Luke ventured a guess, not really expecting Bo to reply. Usually it would be, and that would be heartbreaking enough if he saw the girl he fancied with another boy. It was the stuff of teen angst writers everywhere.

A slight shake of Bo's head was all he got.

"Did you two break up?"

This time he got a shrug.

Well if Bo wasn't going to tell him, he sure as heck wasn't going to sit out all night playing twenty questions while becoming the evening feast for a pack of mosquitoes. He started to stand, to walk away when he heard a small sound. It was the sound of a choked back sob. The sound of someone who was trying very hard not to cry.

Luke sat up and leaned over Bo's prone form. He wasn't surprised to find unshed tears there, as whatever was eating Bo up was about to break loose. "Cuz?" he asked quietly and held out his open arms.

Tortured with his secret, and frustrated beyond belief, Bo heard the silent plea and grasped at it like a drowning man reaches for anything to pull him up. He sat up and practically dove into his cousin's embrace, sobbing in nearly silent gasps as tears rolled down his face. He pressed his face into his cousin's rough flannel shirt and held on for dear life. He wasn't going to be able to keep his secret.

Luke stroked the blond head and rocked the other boy gently. "Shhh," he soothed. "Whatever it is we can work it out." This only caused Bo to sob harder. Haylie must have really broken Bo's heart to get this reaction out of him.

It took twenty minutes of comforting, soothing, and just plain patience on Luke's part before Bo even calmed down enough to talk. With great hiccupping sounds the other boy finally stopped crying.

Bo removed his outer shirt and dried his face off, leaving him dressed in his T-shirt and jeans. His eyes were puffy from all the crying.

"Bo, please tell me what has you so upset." He took his cousin's arm and this time wasn't brushed off. "Is it Haylie?"

Bo nodded, unable to speak just yet. His eyes held great sorrow, and Luke was almost afraid that Bo would start crying again.

"Ok, it wasn't another boy, right?" He got a shake on that one.

Bo choked back a sob. "I almost wish it was." It was the first words he had said about his problem.

"Ok, then." Luke said. "Tell me. How terrible could it be?"

Bo looked down had his hands which were twisting his shirt around them. "Pretty terrible."

Luke rubbed Bo's shoulder lightly. "Whatever it is, I'll help you through it."

"Uncle Jesse is gonna kill me." He sighed deeply. "It might be for the best if he does."

"Bo!" Luke exclaimed. "He's not gonna kill you. The only thing that would make him do that is if you got her pregnant or something." At the sudden look of sheer shocked surprise on his cousin's face at that statement had Luke dropping his arm. "Oh no. Please tell me that ain't what this is about."

Bo backed away a bit as if afraid that is cousin was going to reach over and slap him. His eyes betrayed him though. He couldn't keep the truth from being shown in them.

Luke felt his blood run cold. "Oh, BO!" He shook his head. "How could you? Didn't you have the protection I gave you on you?" He had started sharing his supply of condoms with his younger cousin once he had discovered quite by accident that the boy had gained the knowledge of how sex actually worked. He had walked into the barn to find a 15 year old Bo groping at his first girlfriend, Sarah something or other. After that the two boys had a heart to heart talk about sex and Luke had advised the younger boy to always carry protection, no matter what.

"We- we ran out." Bo tried to explain in a choked voice. "She said it was safe, that it wasn't her time to be fertile." He bit his lip as he realized how lame that sounded out loud. Lame and stupid. He wiped at his eyes that were starting to tear up again. "God, I'm such an idiot."

Luke was inclined to agree with that statement. He could see now why Bo was so frustrated. How in the heck was he going to explain this to his Uncle? "How far along is she, Bo?"

Bo picked a few blades of grass off his shirt. "She doesn't really know. A month? Maybe two."

Luke nodded. That would be about right. Six weeks ago Bo had taken Haylie out to the movies in town and then out jukin. He now knew what they had done afterwards. "What did you tell her when she told you?"

Bo shrugged. "I didn't know what to say. She started to cry and I told her it would be okay. Then her mom showed up and she put on a brave face and left school. She was acting like it was all normal." Bo balled up a fist and punched his leg hard. "It's not normal, Luke. I have to face her tomorrow, knowing what I know and I've got to give her something besides a blank stare!" His breath hitched and he held back a sob. "I don't know how to handle this!"

"You are definitely in uncharted territory, Cuz." Luke admitted.

"Understatement." Bo said.

Luke bit his lip. "Do you love her?" It was a question that needed to be asked.

Bo remained thoughtful for a moment. Then he stood up and clutched his shirt to his chest like a shield. "I care about her, but I don't think its love."

Luke's eyes closed. The more he heard, the less he liked the replies he was getting. He gathered his thoughts into one. He opened his eyes and looked right at Bo. "You need to tell Uncle Jesse now, no matter what the consequences. Haylie is going to need his help, and yours." He pointed at Bo. "You are not going to run out on that girl now."

Bo dropped his head. "I wasn't planning on it."

Luke nodded. "Do you want me to be there when you tell him, or did you want to do it privately?"

Bo brought his eyes up in a silent plea. "With me."

"Ok, I'll be right by your side, Cuz." He stood and dusted off he seat of his jeans, then walked over and pulled Bo into a brotherly hug. "No matter what, I'll be right there."

Bo returned the hug. "Thank you." He then broke away. "Let's go before I lose my nerve." He already knew that he would not be sitting for the remainder of the night.

Luke draped his arm around his cousin's shoulders and followed the boy into the farmhouse to face the consequences for his actions.

* * *

(Next chapter to be up - Bo tells Jesse- watch for it!) 


	2. Confronting Jesse

* * *

Purple was not a color that the Duke boys usually associated with their Uncle, however that was exactly the shade his face was currently turning after listening to what Bo had to say. They boys had come in from the dark, and asked to speak to Jesse in the sitting room. 

Jesse had complied, thinking that now he was going to find out just what had been bothering his youngest nephew all weekend long. He figured it might be a failing grade in a class and he had just been too ashamed to admit it.

Normally he was the sweetest and gentlest man you could ever hope to meet, treating strangers with as much respect and kindness as he treated his own kin. It was rare that you could provoke him to true anger. Anytime he did get mad, it was a silent sort of mad that made you think. Today, Bo's admission seemed to bypass that level and invoke a never before seen side of their Uncle. One that Bo hoped he would never, ever see again.

Bo was trembling as he stood in front of the sofa where his uncle sat; waiting to hear what was going on in the teen's life. Luke had taken a chair next to the sofa, lending a moral support that was greatly needed. So he had taken a deep breath and had told.

"Haylie is WHAT?!?" His uncle roared in a voice so loud that Bo was certain the windows shook.

"Pregnant." Bo admitted again very softly and bowed his head down to look at his hands. It was a much better sight than eyeing his uncle.

Which was short lived. "You look at me, boy." Jesse ordered and Bo raised his head to meet his uncle's smoldering eyes. "The baby is yours?" It wasn't really a question, more like a clarification.

Bo nodded silently. Haylie had been seeing no others for the past three months since they had gotten together. She was constantly calling him and going places with him. People commented on how cute they looked together, her with her long, golden blond hair and green eyes that sparkled like emeralds. Him with his own blond hair, blue eyes and sun-bronzed skin. It was a match made in heaven, and he really had taken to her.

Some of the purpling left his uncle's face, replaced with the anger Bo was more accustomed to. Which meant only one thing. "Alright, then." Jesse stood and wrapped his hand around Bo's upper arm. "Come with me." His tone of voice brooked no argument.

Luke had been watching silently. He also knew what was coming. He stood up and spoke his first word in the conversation. "No."

Jesse stopped and turned the angry eyes on Luke. "What did you just say to me?" It was unheard of for either of the boys to protest punishment when it was rightly earned.

Luke gulped, knowing that by interrupting the punishment, he was risking his uncle's ire. Once spoken, he knew he had to continue. "Uncle Jesse, please." He reached over and unhooked the beefy hand from Bo's arm while his uncle was still shocked enough to allow it. "I know you are angry with Bo, and you have every right to be. But what is taking him out to the woodshed going to solve?"

Jesse got over his shock and growled at the older boy. "Stay out of this, Luke. Bo here needs to be taught a lesson and unless you want to share in his punishment, you better just sit your behind back down and be quiet."

Luke met his uncle's temper with a fierce determination that he hadn't realized he possessed. "Then you will have to punish me too." He crossed his arms over his chest and inserted his body between his uncle and his cousin.

Bo was surprised to find Luke standing up for him. "Luke, you don't have to do this," he said quietly. "I'll go with him."

Jesse stared at his two nephews. Luke was not backing down one inch and Bo still stood quietly, ready to accept whatever was coming his way. "Luke..." Jesse warned for the last time. "Move."

Luke didn't budge. "It's not going to solve anything, Uncle Jesse." He kept his voice calm, hoping the sound of it would calm the elder Duke. "Haylie will still be pregnant and Bo will still be the father."

At the display of rationality coming from Luke, Jesse felt some of his anger fade. Where had the boy learned to be so brash with his thoughts? He was doing exactly what he believed to be the right thing and was protecting his still shaking cousin to boot. Jesse let out a loud sigh and sat back down on the sofa. "Consider yourself lucky, Bo, that you have a cousin that is willing to put his own behind on the line for you."

Bo nodded as he looked over to Luke. He made a mental note to thank Luke later.

Luke had been praying silently the whole time that he wasn't pushing his luck to the breaking point and getting them both into even more trouble. He now closed his eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks that it had worked.

"Sit down, boys." Jesse ordered. Luke sat back in his chair and Bo took the one right opposite the sofa and just out of arm's reach of their uncle. Once they were seated Jesse let his gaze bore right into the youngest Duke. "Beauregard Duke, I am deeply disappointed in you."

Bo took in a small gasp of air. Getting switched behind the woodshed would have hurt less physically than the stinging words that had just been said. He deeply respected his uncle and had always tried to do whatever would please the man and make him proud. Those words now cut like a sharp knife to his young heart. There was no way to feel more ashamed than he was feeling right now. He had let down his uncle and himself as well with his selfish actions and the now terrifying results. "I know," he replied softly, fighting tears.

"What are you going to do?" Jesse broke into Bo's thoughts. "You gonna do what is right?"

Bo licked his lips, not sure what to say. He wasn't exactly sure just what was right at the moment. That was the crux of his problem. He wanted to atone for his mistake but he didn't know how to do that. "I don't know what to do, Uncle Jesse." His eyes darted over to Luke, looking for some courage to continue. Luke gave a small nod.

Bo bit his lip an continued. "I want to do what is right, but I don't think I love her enough to marry her."

Jesse stroked his short, white beard thoughtfully. "I didn't expect you would. What you are going to do is this." He waited until he had Bo's undivided attention. "After school tomorrow, you will meet me at her house. We will go inside together and you will then apologize to her and her parents for getting their little girl in the family way."

"Yes, sir." Bo replied.

"And then," Jesse continued. "Then you will tell them that you are willing to do whatever it takes to provide for that girl and her child. No matter how many jobs you have to do. That there baby will not be forgotten." He stopped to glance over to Luke and gave him a glare that said he better not interrupt this time.

"Yes, sir." Bo said again, feeling much like the man being sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. He really wanted nothing more than to melt into the floor and get away form this whole horrible mess.

Jesse wasn't about to let him go just yet. "For your few seconds of pleasure, Bo, you have now tied yourself down with a child. I hope for your sake it was worth it." With that proclamation Jesse got up and went to his bedroom. He entered the room and slammed the door hard.

Bo jumped at the sound and gulped slightly. His color was pale and the tears he had been holding back now threatened to fall. Part of him wanted Jesse to come back out here and take him behind the woodshed and whack him hard. That same part felt he deserved it and wanted to be punished physically. When he turned in his seat to look at his cousin, he saw nothing but sympathy in the warm blue eyes.

He lost what little control he had on his emotions. The tears broke free and flowed down his reddened cheeks. He was embarrassed, and very ashamed of himself right now. He got up out of the char and walked to his room, never once saying a word. He closed the door behind him, hoping his cousin would respect his need for privacy.

Luke sighed. The only good thing about tonight was the fact that he had kept his own temper in check and prevented his uncle from giving Bo a thorough spanking. The whole situation was still a bit hard to believe. Was his cousin really about to become a father at the young age of 16? Seventeen, his mind mentally corrected. Bo would be seventeen when the baby was born.

He could only fathom the feelings Bo was having right now. If the situation was reversed, he was sure that he would be quite scared and nervous. Scared, nervous, embarrassed and upset. He decided that he would give Bo some time to calm himself down and then he would go and offer what little comfort he had to give. He loved his cousin and would gladly take his place if it were even possible. He just hoped that what he had to offer would be enough.

* * *

(Next chapter - meet Haylie Morris) 


End file.
